


The Tea Boy in the Dragon Jumper

by Siberianskys



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s02e12 Fragments, M/M, Post-Episode: s01e04 Cyberwoman
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 10:40:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29932173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siberianskys/pseuds/Siberianskys
Summary: Prompts: Y Draig, Welsh, Wales, Poets, Roald Dahl, Round Houses, Woad, and Samhradh.
Relationships: Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones
Kudos: 8
Collections: Allbingo





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the allbingo Celtic Fest.

"It's a little early for lunch," Jack said as Tosh walked toward the rolling door, not speaking to him or her co-workers. Jack didn't like it when his team acted out of character. "Tosh," he said tersely, stopping her in her tracks. 

"I'm going to check on Ianto," Tosh said. "Are you going to forbid me, Jack?" she asked. 

"You could ring him," Jack said. 

"I've been trying him all morning."

Jack came out of his office as he struggled into his coat. It felt strange for Ianto to not be standing behind him and acting as his batman. "I'll go," Jack said.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Gwen asked, standing up from her work station.

"I got this," Jack said, sighing when the women shared a look. "I know I was a twat. I should have handled the whole mess better. "

"Are you sure--"

"I cocked it up, Tosh," Jack said. "I'll be the one to make it right."

"You're finally going to retcon him?" Own asked. 

"Owen," Tosh and Gwen said talking over each other.

"Why does everyone have their knickers in a twist over the tea boy?" Owen asked. "He nearly got us all killed."

"Tell me you wouldn't have done the exact same thing if Katie had been in Lisa's position," Jack said. 

"Bugger off," Own said.

"You first," Jack said. "Don't think I haven't noticed that the lab could use attention."

Owen glared at Jack before stalking off toward the lab. 

"Whose Katie?" Tosh asked. 

"Ianto isn't the only team member to lose his fiancee to an alien," Jack said, turning and heading out through the rolling door. 

Tosh couldn't find her voice after Jack's response. 

"He never said anything?" Gwen asked.

"Never," Tosh said. 

"Shit," Gwen said. "Maybe that's why Owen moved to Wales considering he seems to hate it."

"It could be that whatever happened to Katie is why Owen came to work for Jack," Tosh said. 

"Instead of gossiping about my wife you could just ask," Owen said. 

"We're sorry," Tosh said. "We were just surprised."

"What happened, Owen?" Gwen asked. 

"She was infected by an alien parasite," Owen said. "Like Lisa, there was no saving her. Jack took the opportunity to hire me. I guess it was better than staying in London without her."

"I'm sorry, Owen," Gwen said. 

Owen didn't respond; he just looked morose. 


	2. Chapter 2

Jack let himself into Ianto's flat hoping that he wasn't going to find something wrong and that Ianto was just ignoring Tosh's mobile calls. He didn't see anything out of the ordinary from the handful of times he'd been in Ianto's flat with the exception of the miniature round house sitting on the dining room table. As far as Jack knew, building miniatures wasn't one of Ianto's hobbies. Ianto liked to read. He had built-in bookshelves full of Welsh poets and everything Roald Dahl ever wrote and that didn't even begin to make a dent in Ianto's book collection. He had all the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Dame Agatha Christie, and Ian Flemming. Jack wondered what else was there, but he'd never had the opportunity to peruse further. Ianto was private and he hadn't been thrilled when he'd caught Jack poking in his bookshelves. Now Jack figured he'd discovered why. Jack could only guess that the bookshelves also contained Lisa's books. It broke Jack's heart that her books were probably not her only personal items in Ianto's flat. Ianto really had believed that he had a chance of saving his love and had not only managed to hide her in Torchwood 3's basement, but had moved them both into his flat, because Ianto had believed that one day Lisa would share it with him.

"Are you alright?" Jack asked, finding his ability to breathe when Ianto came out of his bedroom wearing not much. 

"I'm suspended," Ianto said. "Why do you care?"

Jack stomped over to Ianto, grabbed him by the back of the neck, pulled him into his space and kissed him hard and deep until he couldn't anymore. When he could speak, he said, "Because, you're not suspended as punishment, Ianto. You need the time to mourn her."

Ianto shook as he blinked back tears. 

Jack took Ianto's face between his hands and kissed him on the forehead. "Tosh was afraid for you."

"Tell her I'm sorry that I didn't answer her rings," Ianto said. 

"How about you tell her yourself," Jack said. 

"I didn't think I was allowed in the Hub," Ianto said. 

"You're not allowed in the Hub to work," Jack said, "but, if you want to putter in the archives I won't say no."

"Thank you, Jack," Ianto said. "The quiet has been...I don't think I'd ever been grateful that my sister's son needed help with his homework."

"Is that why there's a miniature on your dining room table?" Jack asked. 

"David needed help with his science fair project," Ianto said, "and I suggested he do something on how the ancient Welsh survived in traditional round houses. I got an eye roll, but I bloody hell wasn't going to build a working volcano."

Jack laughed. "Has David met you?"

"Rhi's kids think I'm a dork," Ianto said. 

"Rhi's kids are wrong," Jack said, "though I'm surprised you didn't suggest to David that he do a project on pterodactyls."

"That might hit a little too close to home," Ianto said.

While Ianto cleaned himself up and dressed, Jack drank his coffee at the dining room table and studied Ianto's handy-work. Having seen the real thing over his many decades in Wales, he thought David should win. Jack looked-up when he heard Ianto's footsteps on the hardwood floors and grinned at his lover's choice of outfit. 

"You didn't expect a suit did you?" Ianto asked, misinterpreting Jack's expression.

"I love the jumper," Jack said, enjoying Ianto's tight jeans and Welsh dragon jumper. Jack thought he looked fetching, though he always thought Ianto looked fetching. 


End file.
